Photographic developing, fixing, and washing apparatus



.March 6, 1928. Q 1,651,378

H. R. M KELLAR PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING, FIXING, AND WASHING APPARATUSFiled 1.14, 1927 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY REX MGKELLAR, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

P HOTOGBAPHIC DEVELOPING, FIXING, AND WASHING APPARATUS.

Aimlication filed January 14, I927. Serial No. 161,183.

provide an apparatus suitable to the developing, fixing and washing ofpanchromatic materials in the form of either so-called cut film, film offilm ack, or plates. As panchromatic materia s are most advantageous 1ydeveloped in the dark, the invention provides an apparatus adapted to beused in total darkness solely by the sense of touch, although of courseit may be used with the special green light suitable for emulsions ofthis type. However the invention is by no means limited in its .utilityto the develop ment of panchromatic materials, but on the contrary itcan be used conveniently and efliciently in the development of otherkinds of emulsions in any of the commonly used methods of development,viz, the time and 26 temperature method, the factorial method, and themethod of inspection. Moreover the apparatus embodying the invention iswell adapted to such processes as intensification,

desensitization, and reduction. In short the 30 invention provides anapparatus of well nigh universal utility in photographic developingprocesses.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- .ings for a particulardescription of a practical embodiment of the invention I Fi 1 is acentral vertical section through certain elements of the apparatus, viz,a washing tank and a film, or plate, holder;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through said elements;

Fi 3 is a plan view showing the tanks and oldernested together forstorage or transportation;

Fig. 4 is an sometric view of a portion of as the holder; and

I Fig. 5 is a fra entary view showing a portion of the etachable handlefor the holder.

As shown, the ratus comprises three tanks, A,'B and and a film, orplate, holder Dr: The tanks are of difierent sizes, so that they may benested, and the holder is ada ted to looseljy within the smallest tankas shown in ig. 3. Thus the enggtirewm w disswl tion of the small end ofa funnel 17.

.slots in the carrier near the top thereof.

compass, whereby storage and transportation are greatly facilitated.

.The tanks A, B and C are preferably composed of thin sheet materialwhich is immune to the action of the chemicals used, such as Monelmetal. The carrier D may be of the same material as that of the tanks,or it may be of hard rubber or a synthetic material of similarproperties. The smallest tank A is for the developer; the tank B, nextin size, is for hypo; and the tank C is the washing tank.

As illustrated, the carrier D is a rectangular frame open at the top andbottom, and is divided into a number of compartments by thin plates, orsepta, 10. These septa fit in vertical grooves 11 formed in the innerside walls of the carrier. Between the grooves 11 the carrier is formedwith vertical grooves 12 in which the film or plates are disposed. Theseooves are made flaring at the top,.so that the film or plates may beeasily inserted in total darkness by the sense of touch. Flanges 14project inwardly from the bottom side edges of the carrier, providingshoulders on which the septa 10 and the film or plates are supported.

The washing tank C is provided with a false bottom 15 which, as shown inFig. 1, is formed with downwardly bent, .or curled, ends which rest onthe bottom of the tank. The false bottom 15 is formed with numeroussmall perforations and with a larger perforation 16 at the center forthe recep- A detachable handle 18 is provided for the carrier. Thishandle is preferably formed of a strip of spring metal with the endsbent outwardly and adapted to engage The handle is inserted between theplates or film and the end walls of the carrier and is held in place byits spring action. Thus the handle does not occupy any space at thesides of the holder, as it would if in-. sorted from the outside, andaccordingly the tanks may be made of minimum size. By forming the handlewith rectangular ends engaging rectangular slots in the carrier thelatter is non-rotatable with r t to the handle and the o rator can witone hand tip the holder as esired.

The height of the carrier is such that the films or plates, resting uponthe. shgulder 1 P i l a ve the top of the arner by m v the solution,spilling does not readily occur.

Only enough of the solution to develop and fix the materials isprepared, and only a small quantity is required, due to the greatcompactness of the apparatus. The

solutions are used once and then thrown away, and hence are always freshand of known strength and efiiciency. Perfect uniformity of developmentof all parts of each film, and of all the films with each other,

is assured by slightly raising and lowering the carrier at briefintervals, to mix the solution and maintain it uniform in strength inevery port-ion. The film or plate remains in the carrier throughoutdevelopment, fixation, and washing.

Development by the use of the apparatus above described gives, with aminimum of care, negatives free from all the defects sometimes producedin development, such as dumbbells, spots, streaks, lines, scratches andabrasions, or fog. Plates cannot touch and injure each other nor canfilms buckle and stick together. When development, fixation, and washingare complete, the film is already flat and not bent, as is the case insome other methods of development. Since each plate or film has aseparate compartment, time is not consumed in placing the plates withtheir backs together, nor in placing films in sheaths and -removing themtherefrom. The inconvenience, particularly in darkness, of using onetank for several process steps, and making the necessary changes ofsolution, is avoided.

ashing is safely and efficiently carried out in the apparatus of thepresent invention. Fresh water may be introduced by the funnel into thespace below the false bottom 15, the funnel being wide enough tofacilitate the introduction of water from a faucet. The water thusintroduced at the bottom of the tank makes its way up through thenumerous small openings in the false bottom, whereby a uniformdistribution of the fresh water is eflected, and the teeters 'danger ofinjuring the emulsion by water by the tray method; the washing tank Gmay be inverted over the holder D and developing tank A, except duringactual inspect-ion, in the development of panchromatic materials by themethod of inspection with the special green light; and other uses maysuggest themselves.

Now having particularly described an apparatus embodying my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. In photographic apparatus of the kind described, a film orplate holder consisting of a rectangular frame open at the top andbottom and having flanges projecting inwardly from its lower side edges,the inner side walls of the carrier being formed with spaced verticalgrooves, septa in said grooves dividing the carrier into a p1ura1- ityof compartments, the inner side walls of the carrier being also formedwith-vertical grooves for the reception of plates or films etween thefirst mentioned grooves.

2. In photographic apparatus of the kind described, a film or plateholder consistin of a frame open at the top and bottom an divided into anumber of compartments by spaced parallel septa, said frame being formedwith vertical grooves for the reception of plates or films.

3. In photographic apparatus of the kind described, a film or lateholder consistin of a frame open at tile top and bottom an divided intoa number of compartments by spaced parallel septa, said frame beinformed with vertical grooves between. said septa for the reception ofplates or films, said grooves opening through flaring mouths at theirupper ends.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HALRRY' REX. McKELLAlR.

